The past year has seen the workplace shift to the digital. The pandemic has forced us to learn new technology skills for communication, and many businesses have brought their clients online too, with virtual platforms for products and services. It’s been something of a rollercoaster, but now, as we edge cautiously towards a type of ‘normality’, it’s time to get off, and take a moment to recognise the things we have missed.
In the interiors industry, we’ve missed tactility and that essential connection to materials; studio and factory visits; long face-to-face conversations and lunches that spark unexpected symbiosis and inspired ideas. It’s these types of organic experiences that are at the heart of Interni’s newly transformed four-floor flagship in Milan on Via Turati. Relaunched as the Interni Design Factory, the space has been radically enlarged and redesigned as a hub for human-centric collaboration in a digital era.
Specialising in designer furniture, interior design and project management, Interni was founded in 1933 in Verano Brianza, and has grown into an international leader in its field
The Interni Design Factory is a hybrid of showroom, meeting space and office, combined with amenities such as a lounge and an outdoor terrace for social events. The space prioritises touch, texture, conversations and communication in a celebration of the joy of working together to achieve outstanding work. While the concept of the Design Factory predates the pandemic, it has become even more meaningful today.
‘When highly customised solutions are required, we respond with tailor-made interventions’
The Project Rooms are designed for the focused, intense collaboration that’s central to Interni’s success. Each room is named after a master of Italian design, including Gio Ponti, Carlo Scarpa, Vico Magistretti, and Achille Castiglioni. The largest room, which seats 18 people, is called Leonardo, in homage to Interni founder Leonardo Cazzaniga whose founding vision of 1933 – that design can and must improve the spaces we live in, and therefore our quality of life – still guides Interni today.
‘Interni has evolved into a brand that offers a range of services that extend far beyond sales. Our team is strategic in supporting designers, architects and private clients on design projects from villas to apartments, orchestrating everything from boiserie and coverings, to fixed architectural elements and custom-made pieces. When highly customised solutions are required, we respond with tailor-made interventions,’ says Stefano Cazzaniga, Interni CEO and third-generation relation to Leonardo.
For Cazzaniga, the Design Factory is a new high-point in the history of Interni. ‘This new flagship building brings the experiences, materials, craftsmanship and services of Interni to our sophisticated clientele under one roof – all with the singular aim of making their interior dreams come true. We achieved something quite extraordinary, and it will help us to continue to create the highest-quality service at every stage of the design process, and therefore the best result.’
As well as being a microcosm of all things Interni, the Design Factory is a launchpad to Interni’s wider network. During Salone in September, the doors of the flagship will be opened up for visitors to explore the latest international collections and enjoy the outdoor terrace, an oasis of nature in the city. The Design Factory will become a hive of activity, inspiring people to reconnect in-person and celebrate the organic nature of creativity. Yet instead of a ‘return’, perhaps we can see this as an opportunity to find a totally new rhythm for the design industry, and re-shape ‘normality’ based upon all we have learnt.
Photos: @beppebrancato_studio
Stylist: Elena Caponi studio
